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Army cancels Comanche helicopter program
The Army has decided to cancel its RAH-66 Comanche helicopter program, a multibillion-dollar project to build a new-generation chopper for armed reconnaissance missions, officials said Monday.
The contractors for Comanche are Boeing Co. and United Technologies' Sikorsky Aircraft division.
With about $8 billion already invested in the program, but the production line not yet started, the cancellation is one of the largest in the history of the Army, the Associated Press reported.
Earlier this year, the White House budget office asked the Pentagon to provide independent reviews of the Comanche and another expensive aviation program, the Air Force's F/A-22 Raptor fighter. Although killing the Comanche project would save tens of billion in future costs, the cancellation decision is expected to require the Army to pay at least $2 billion in contract termination fees.
The Comanche was conceived to replace the Army's existing fleet of OH-58 and AH-1 scout and attack helicopters. The Comanche was supposed to significantly expand the Army's ability to conduct operations day and night and in poor weather.
The Comanche has a troubled history, and it remained in the research and development phase for years, with production repeatedly delayed by procurement funding shortages. But Army leaders long stood behind the aircraft.
In 1999, then-Army procurement chief Kenneth Oscar said the Comanche was an essential part of the Army's evolution to a smaller, more powerful force.
"The Army has very few development programs -- we have very little money," Oscar told Government Executive. "We've taken the money we do have and applied it to our top three priorities -- digitizing the battlefield, Comanche and Crusader [an artillery system canceled in 2002]. We've decided that's the best use of our money, so I don't think [Comanche] is vulnerable at all."
The Pentagon proposed to spend $1.1 billion in fiscal 2004 on the Comanche, but decided to reduce the total number of helicopters it planned to purchase from 1,200 to 650.
COMMENTS
- I was astonished that after the army had cancelled the RAH-66 Comanche helicopter program the 2004 defense budget still has $1.1 billion dollars in it for research and development for the Comanche helicopter. Whats up with that? GovExec.com reader Posted February 24, 2004 7:58 PM
- DoD should cancel the Osprey and the F22 as well. They are bottomless pits that provide little if anything other than a "jobs" program for the President. Stop these two programs now before the government welfare program puts me on welfare! tax payer Posted February 24, 2004 8:00 AM
- Although the Comanche's predecessor the Apache was a superb weapons platform for the army the comanche has had some problems. After watching 60 Minutes last night on the story of the Patriot Missile batteries having only a 10% kill ratio and plagued with friendly fire malfunctions the army may have made the right decision with regard to the comanche. I only wish they would have done a better job with the Patriot system. GovExec.com reader Posted February 23, 2004 6:58 PM
